Oklahoma City Thunder's Trade for Alex Caruso and Chicago Bulls' Acquisition of Josh Giddey
Oklahoma City Thunder
Alex Caruso began his professional basketball career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, not at the NBA level but with their G-League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, after going undrafted in 2016. Since those humble beginnings, Caruso's career has flourished at the NBA level, making substantial impacts with both the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls.
On Thursday, the Thunder reignited their relationship with Caruso by acquiring him in a trade with the Bulls, sending Josh Giddey to Chicago in return. Caruso is highly valued for his defensive expertise and his abilities as a connective passer. Known for effectively defending superstars like Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Caruso adds formidable strength to any defensive lineup. Moreover, he has become a steadily improving three-point shooter, hitting nearly 41% of his attempts last season.
The Thunder’s acquisition of Caruso is a strategic move to fortify their already impressive defense, which ranked fourth in the NBA. Additionally, Caruso's contract presents a financial advantage for Oklahoma City. Although Caruso earns roughly $1.5 million more than Giddey next season, both players are on expiring deals. This allows the Thunder flexibility, coupled with the benefit of having their second and third-best players still on rookie contracts. The Thunder could potentially create more than $30 million in cap space, enabling them to address rebounding issues by acquiring players like Isaiah Hartenstein or re-signing Isaiah Joe to a long-term deal.
Caruso joins a solid defensive lineup that includes Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Jalen Williams. Complementing this setup is Chet Holmgren, whose performance last season saw him rank third in contested shots per game, lending itself to an arguably superior defense compared to recent champions like the Boston Celtics. In essence, the Thunder managed to trade a player they could no longer utilize effectively and acquired one of the most coveted around the league.
Oklahoma City's general manager, Sam Presti, has skillfully transformed a potential problem into a significant asset. This strategic maneuvering undeniably resembles an "Executive of the Year" level move.
Chicago Bulls
The trade presents a different landscape for the Chicago Bulls, earning them a modest C- grade. Josh Giddey is known as one of the top ten passers in the league and is a proficient scorer inside the arc. However, Giddey's overall fit with the Bulls remains uncertain.
Over the past three seasons, Giddey has joined the ranks of the nine players to have posted at least 10 triple-doubles. Yet, Giddey's success largely hinges on controlling the offense — a situation that currently appears unlikely in Chicago without significant roster changes. For Giddey to thrive, the Bulls would need to offload Zach LaVine's hefty contract and potentially allow DeMar DeRozan to leave. The team’s existing spacing issues require substantial upgrades to fully capitalize on Giddey's abilities. While collaboration with Coby White in ball-handling roles may prove beneficial, it demands intentional development.
Chicago's decision to trade for Giddey instead of waiting for other offers for Caruso raises questions. Reportedly, multiple first-round picks and a top-10 pick were on the table for Caruso. Giddey, on the other hand, has improved his shooting each season, making around 34% on three-pointers last year. However, his low shooting volume indicates that there's still considerable work to be done.
In the short term, this trade may weaken the Bulls as they work to integrate Giddey and consider a potential rebuild around him. The immediate future is further complicated by their owing a top-10 protected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to the San Antonio Spurs. If the Bulls strategically position themselves for a challenging season to keep their 2025 pick, it might give them access to elite prospects next year, potentially accelerating their rebuilding process.
Caruso's departure seemed almost inevitable for the Bulls, considering their status as a Play-In team. The long-term success of this trade for Chicago hinges on their ability to configure the team to effectively center around Giddey's skills. If they can navigate these challenges wisely, the Bulls might eventually turn this trade into a positive for their future.
